Where No One Has Gone Before
by Hot elf
Summary: Cracky crossover where Captain Kirk, Spock and Scotty from Star Trek are stranded in the ME world (ME2). While Kirk soon finds out that the ladies aboard the Normandy are immune to his charms, Scotty finds a kindred spirit in Tali and Mr Spock is intrigued when he meets another telepath. Gorgeous art by downontheupside.
1. Torin

_Written for the 2014 Mass Effect Flash Big Bang. Art by the wonderful downontheupside who was an absolute pleasure to work with._**  
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**Chapter 1 – Torin**

"Commander?"

"What is it, EDI?" Torin Shepard leaned over the galaxy map, frowning at what she could make out on the screen.

They were in the process of scanning a tiny garden world in the Exodus Cluster. So far, they had found a few medium-sized eezo deposits, but nothing major. Torin had been about to give up and call it a day when the AI had spoken up.

"An anomaly." EDI's voice was flat and emotionless, as usual. "Launching probe."

"Well?" Torin yawned. It had been a long day, and she was looking forward to a quiet evening in her cabin with Garrus. Music, maybe a movie, a bit of cuddling, and maybe more…

"There are traces of a localized singularity of some kind, Commander." EDI sounded hesitant, a rare occurrence. "The available data doesn't allow me to determine exactly what happened, but it was a recent phenomenon. There also seems to be a crashed shuttle on the planet's surface. And the probe is picking up signs of human life."

Suddenly, Torin felt wide awake. "We're going down there. Now. Whoever is trapped down there might need help. Garrus, Jacob, join me in the shuttle bay."

Within the hour, they were on their way to the planet's surface. "EDI? What can you tell me about the planet? Do they have a chance of surviving until we pick them up?"

"Yes, Commander. The atmosphere is similar to Earth's. Even without suits and in a damaged shuttle, most life forms should be able to breathe, and the danger of radiation poisoning is within negligible parameters."

"Good." Torin fiddled with her armour, smiling at Garrus when he reached over to help her adjust it. "It seems weird, though. How come a shuttle is stranded on a planet in the middle of nowhere, with no ship in sight?"

"Maybe they had to desert their ship." Garrus' voice had an odd quality. It took her a moment to recognize the soft flanging tones he used when he wanted to calm her. "Or maybe-"

"Approaching landing zone," EDI interrupted them.

Jacob was the first to jump out into the open. There was no need for commands – the three of them worked together like a well-oiled machine after so many missions. Within moments, they had all taken cover behind rocks or ledges. After all, the crashed shuttle might well turn out to be a trap of some kind.

Slowly, they pushed forward, in the direction of the signal. When the shuttle came in sight, Torin eyed it with no small amount of distrust. It looked normal enough, but it definitely wasn't an Alliance model. The writing on its sides was badly smudged by scorch marks, but she could make out the letters "NCC-1".

She glanced at Jacob. "Is that a Cerberus model?"

He shook his head. "No. At least not one I've ever come across."

Just then, three men appeared from the undergrowth next to the shuttle and Torin signalled at him to be quiet. None of them was wearing armour or a spacesuit, and the only visible weapons they carried were small, pistol-like handguns. Those looked unfamiliar, too. As for their clothing…

"Think the colours mean something?" Jacob whispered at her.

The three men wore nearly identical suits with black pants. Their long-sleeved shirts were blue, red and golden brown respectively. All three of them had a weirdly shaped badge attached to their chests.

"Hard to tell," Torin hissed back. "Might just be their favourite pyjamas, for all I know."

Jacob grinned widely. Torin waited another few minutes, but the three men seemed to be on their own. EDI's voice over the com confirmed her assumption. "No further life signs, Commander."

Once more, Torin eyed their weapons, then signalled at Garrus to stay behind. Having a sniper at their back couldn't hurt. Jacob followed her as she rose and walked over to the three men, her gun lowered. When they saw her approach, they looked up warily.

The one in the golden shirt smirked at her. "Heeey. What a pleasant surprise. I hadn't expected to see such a lovely lady on this god-forsaken rock." Addressing himself to Jacob, he nodded genially and extended his hand. "Sir. Captain James T. Kirk. Nice to meet you."

Jacob raised an eyebrow and looked over at Shepard. "Commander?"

"Nice to meet you too, Captain." She kept her tone dry. "I'm Commander Shepard, of the Normandy SR-2, and this is Jacob Taylor, one of my officers."

The Captain had the decency to blush a little. The man in red chuckled softly to himself, while the one in blue eyed her with detached interest. That last one had pointy ears, she noticed, and oddly shaped eyebrows. "One of them is not human, Commander," EDI supplied over the comm. "Though I can't find any species corresponding to his readings in my databases."

_Hmmm. Curious_. Torin took a deep breath. "You seem to be having trouble with your shuttle."

All three nodded in unison, then the non-human one spoke. "We were going to make a start on repairs presently, but we would appreciate any assistance you can offer."

_Ah. This one has manners_. Torin smiled at him. "We'll see what we can do. And you are-"

"Commander Spock, ma'am." His face remained serious. "And this is Mr Scott, our ship's chief engineer."

"Ah, yes. Your ship. Where would that be?" She probably sounded a little sharp.

Kirk's face darkened, but it was Spock who answered. "It is a complicated story, I'm afraid. We appear to be cut off from communication with our vessel."

"Right." She sighed. "Well, I guess it's best if you join us on board the Normandy. We can have your shuttle brought up to our bay, and our engineers can help you with the repairs. Besides, I'm sure you could all do with some rest." She motioned for them to follow them. "Just one thing… Jacob? Please collect their weapons."

"You're not taking away my gun." Kirk made a step in her direction, reaching for his belt.

A tiny red dot of light appeared above his heart and he grew pale. Obviously he had a fair idea what it meant.

Just to make sure, Torin spelled it out for him. "There's a gun pointed at you, Captain. Please surrender your weapons peacefully. You can't expect me to welcome armed strangers on my ship."

He nodded reluctantly and they made their way back to the shuttle without further complications. Garrus was the last to board. His appearance drew a few curious gazes from the strangers. _Interesting. It's almost as if they've never seen a turian before_. Still, they refrained from commenting.

As they rose from the ground, Kirk glanced over at her, his cocky grin back in place. "Hey, no hard feelings, right? You're welcome to check me for hidden weapons any time."

Torin didn't even bother to hide her eye roll, but Garrus stepped closer, his subvocals humming with menace. "Would you like me to teach him some respect, Shepard?"

"Oh relax, birdie. It was a joke." Kirk did back away a few steps, though.

"I guess we're all a little tense." Torin ran a finger gently along Garrus' fringe, the gesture half-way between calming and teasing. Kirk's expression betrayed his surprise at this show of tenderness, and she favoured him with a cool smile. "We can talk more once we're aboard the Normandy."

They spent the rest of the trip in uncomfortable silence.


	2. Miranda

**Chapter 2 - Miranda**

There was a commotion over at the med bay, and Miranda strained her neck to make out what was going on there. Three strangers were being escorted in by Jacob, all of them dressed in an unfamiliar style. It appeared Shepard had found trouble again. _Well, at least she had enough sense to have them taken to the med bay first_. Curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to find out more.

When she entered the med bay, one of the men, the one with the golden-brown shirt, raised his head and whistled softly through his teeth at the sight of her. "Oh, I _like_ this place." His eyes were roving up and down her body, clearly approving of her skin-tight black suit and what it held.

She decided to ignore him and addressed herself to Jacob. "What's going on? Who are they?"

"This is Captain Kirk, and the other two are Commander Spock and Mr Scott." Jacob introduced each man with a quick gesture. "Shepard picked them up on the planet's surface and sent me here with them to make sure they don't infect us all with some alien plague. What do you say, doctor?" He turned to Chakwas. "Any problems?"

Chakwas was busy examining the man called Spock. Miranda took a closer look at him. _Pointy ears? Really?_ What was going on here? He seemed calm and collected, though, almost impassive, as he submitted to the tests the doctor deemed necessary.

The doctor frowned as she glanced at her omni-tool. "No danger of infection, as far as I can tell, but he-" She shook her head and spoke directly to the stranger. "What _are_ you?"

"I am Vulcan. Or, to be precise, a Vulcan-human hybrid." She could discern no emotion in the man's voice.

"Vulcan?" Chakwas raised an eyebrow. "Never heard of your species before. I think I'd like to consult a specialist." Quickly, she typed a message on her tool.

Minutes later, the door to the med bay opened to admit Mordin. Chakwas introduced him to Spock with a gesture. "Mr Spock. This is Dr. Mordin Solus. He's one of our leading experts in genetics and xenobiology."

Spock nodded, his face impassive. Miranda rather admired his stoic behaviour.

The salarian scientist, on the other hand, looked positively thrilled. "New species? Intriguing."

But, as soon as he took a closer look at Mr Spock, his face fell. "Disappointing. Human mutation, in all probability."

"That's what I thought at first, Doctor." Chakwas nodded respectfully at him. "But, take a look at his blood samples. Here."

Mordin stepped over to her side to take a look. "Hm. Copper-based. Unusual. Still, considerable overlaps with human genetic structure."

Again, Chakwas nodded. "True. Mr Spock said he's a Vulcan-human hybrid, so it seems they can actually mate with humans. But, take a look at these scans of his internal organs. And, more importantly, his brain scans."

This time, Mordin didn't answer straight away. Instead, he began punching numbers into his own omni-tool at an impressive speed, muttering to himself all the while. "Assembling data. Have ruled out mutant theory. Trying to determine how… Need to run more tests."

When he looked up, he grinned widely. "Intriguing puzzle. Need more samples. More invasive procedure, I'm afraid."

Mr Spock cleared his throat. "I would like to formally state my objection to any kind of _invasive procedure_."

Kirk's face had darkened. "Keep your paws off my crew, lizard man."

Mordin sighed. "Not lizard. Amphibian." He turned to Spock. "Ethical dilemma. Further experiments might benefit mission. Logic dictates personal objections shouldn't apply."

"I understand your scientific interest and your logical reasoning." Mr Spock tilted his head to the side a little, as if he was listening to something they couldn't hear. "But, I'm afraid I don't approve of your methods in practice."

Fortunately, Chakwas intervened at this point. "I'm afraid further tests would have to be approved by Commander Shepard, Doctor. I believe she may have strong feelings on this subject."

Mordin withdrew with a sigh. "Will work with available data then. Pity."

Chakwas turned to look at the third man. "Now, let's have a look at you, Mr… Scott?"

"That's right." The engineer spoke with a heavy Scottish accent. "I'm fine. All I need is a proper sandwich."

"No doubt that can be arranged." Chakwas sounded business-like. "But first I need to make sure your presence doesn't pose any health hazards for our crew."

Ducking his head, he allowed the doctor to scan him with her omni-tool. He did seem curious about the latter, though.

"You are all cleared to move about the ship freely," Chakwas finally declared. "I recommend you get some food first."

"Well, how about it, gorgeous?" That was the first guy again. _Kirk_. He was persistent, she'd give him that. "Care to keep me company for dinner?"

Miranda slowly looked him over, as if considering the offer. A good-looking guy, no doubt, with truly striking blue eyes, a flattering haircut, and an easy smile. Handsome, charming, cock-sure. Badly in need of being taken down a peg or two as far as she was concerned.

"No, thanks. I prefer intelligent and stimulating conversation at mealtimes, you know." She smiled radiantly at Chakwas. "Meet you in the mess hall in ten minutes, doctor?"

"Absolutely." Chakwas smiled back, a decidedly sarcastic set to her lips.

Kirk opened his mouth as if to protest, but was distracted by Scott's wide grin and Spock's raised eyebrow._ A very impressive raised eyebrow. But then, I'm sure he gets a lot of practice._

"Gentlemen." With a nod at Jacob, Miranda turned to go. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen when that idiot Kirk ran into Jack.


	3. Kasumi

**Chapter 3 - Kasumi**

Kasumi watched from the shadows as the three strangers filed into the comm room. Shepard seemed a bit tired, and vaguely irritated. Garrus was hovering at her back, ready to come to her support at a moment's notice. Kasumi smiled to herself. Those two were rather endearing.

"Well, Captain. Now that Dr Chakwas has had a look at you, would you mind telling us a little more about yourself?" Shepard had taken her place at the head of the table. She was still wearing her armour and it made her look sleek and dangerous, every inch the warrior.

"I told you, my name is Kirk. Captain James T. Kirk. This is my First Officer, Mr Spock, and this gentleman here is Mr Scott. We all serve on the USS Enterprise, Federation Starfleet." The first stranger sounded tired, too.

"Federation?" Miranda gave him an irritated look. "Is this some kind of mercenary outfit from the Terminus Systems?"

"Terminus Systems?" It was Kirk's turn to look bewildered. "Look, I know our shuttle passed through a… black hole of some kind, and it's anybody's guess where we ended up. Is this even the Alpha Quadrant?"

"I have no idea what you mean." Shepard slowly shook her head.

"Commander? If I may make a suggestion…" Tali chirped up from her place at the end of the table. When Shepard motioned for her to speak, she stepped forward, sounding more confident now. "I could take a closer look at their shuttle. Maybe this will help us determine where they come from."

Kirk grinned. "You're sure you can handle machinery, honey? Mr Scott here is the expert. He can show you how to start the engine."

Shepard sighed. "Captain Kirk, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy is a mechanical genius. I doubt she'll need anyone's help to 'start the engine'." She nodded at Mr Scott. "However, if you wish to be present as she examines your shuttle, you're free to do so."

"You bet your… Aye, ma'am." Mr Scott's face had darkened at the idea of handing his shuttle over to a stranger, but he snapped to attention when Shepard threw him a sharp look. "I'm sure I can help. I know this shuttle like the back of my hand."

Kasumi grinned. _Another tech nerd. _At a gesture from Shepard, they both left for the shuttle bay. _He and Tali should get along just fine._

"My friends call me Scotty," she heard him mutter to Tali as they left, confirming her speculation.

Shepard had begun pacing the room, clearly unsure of how to proceed, but suddenly she stopped, staring hard into Kasumi's corner. "Kasumi. What are you doing there?"

_Shit_. "How do you do it, Commander?" She pouted, letting her tactical cloak ripple away. "Sorry. I was just curious."

The two "Starfleet officers" had flinched at her sudden appearance, but the captain's eyes were lingering on her with definite interest. "Nice lipstick," she heard him mutter under his breath. Too bad he wasn't her type. Now, Spock on the other hand…

"Well, now that you're here, you might as well stay." Shepard sighed. "Any ideas on where our guests could be from?"

Kasumi shook her head. "None, Commander. But, you could let them take a look at the galaxy map. Maybe they can pick out their home system."

"A logical approach." Spock nodded approvingly.

They transferred their meeting to the CIC, and Shepard, Kirk, and Spock bent over the map. When they straightened up again, Spock looked thoughtful.

"This is the galaxy we call the Milky Way, no doubt. But none of the _systems_ you've indicated to me seem familiar, Commander. From all the evidence so far, it would appear the black hole has taken us into a parallel universe."

"A what?" Kirk looked none too pleased. "Of all the wildly improbable…"

"It's either that, or we've travelled to a galaxy with the exact same constellations as our own, which is not possible. If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Spock shook his head.

Shepard stretched and yawned. "Well, intriguing as this is, I'm knackered. Dismissed, everyone." She turned to the strangers. "Don't worry, I have a few ideas for tomorrow. Jacob can take you to your quarters."

Kasumi's curiosity wasn't sated. After an ostentatious goodnight, she turned a corner, activated her cloak again and doubled back to follow Jacob and the two strangers down to the crew quarters. She was just in time to overhear their conversation.

"Don't worry, gentlemen." Jacob's voice, deep and soothing. "The Commander will find a way to return you home. All she needs is a good night's rest, and then I'm sure she'll come up with something."

Spock nodded earnestly. "Commander Shepard appears to be highly competent. In the meantime, I look forward to studying the differences between our two realities. I have to admit I find this whole situation fascinating."

"You're not the only one." Kirk grinned broadly. "I bet Scotty enjoys talking shop with that cute little engineer… Tally, was that her name? He seemed rather taken with her." He elbowed Spock lightly in the ribs, drawing a pained grimace from the other man. "What do you think? Has he already found out what's under her mask?"

"I highly doubt it. Without her suit, Tali'Zorah can't survive in this environment. Quarians never take off their masks." Kasumi rather admired Jacob's restraint. But, then again, she admired a lot of things about him.

"Oh." Kirk seemed momentarily nonplussed. "Well, more's the pity. Fortunately, there's plenty of other fish to fry around here, don't you agree?" He grinned at Jacob. "That Asian chick with the hood, you think I'd have a chance with her?"

"No." Jacob's tone was flat. "You wouldn't."

Kasumi bit back a grin. _Spot on, Jacob._ Kirk _so_ wasn't her type.


	4. Tali

**Chapter 4 - Tali**

The shuttle was… fascinating. Tali could honestly say she'd never seen this kind of technology before, and her mind was reeling with the implications.

Mr Scott – Scotty - had carefully explained the principle of the "impulse drive" to her. If she'd understood correctly, it was some kind of fusion reactor combined with what he called an _accelerator-generator_. A plasma drive, essentially, but one capable of achieving impressive speeds. If she took the blueprints home to the Migrant Fleet, there was no telling what Admiral Xen could do with it.

It took them several hours to go all over the little craft, examining every detail and fixing a few minor points of damage while they were at it. The stranger knew a thing or two about engineering. He was the quiet type, getting animated only when discussing technical details, but he was a good listener. Before long, she found herself telling him about the Fleet, about the debacle with the geth and the lost homeworld, and about the ship she'd grown up on. He asked a few questions, attempting to get a clearer picture, and she patiently explained about the suits and the masks and the necessary immunizations.

In turn, he told her about the _Enterprise_, the ship he served on back home. There was a world of affection in his tone when he spoke of her warp cores. "She's one well-endowed lady. Ah, I wish I could show her to you!"

His tone was positively wistful, and Tali couldn't resist teasing him about it. "You sound like a man pining for his lover, Scotty."

He laughed, looking a little embarrassed. "Well, she isn't like other ships, you know. The Enterprise is… special. My first love, so to speak."

"I know what you mean." Tali felt a surge of nostalgia at his words. "Sometimes, I still miss the Rayya. She wasn't much to look at, but she was home. And it's certainly true that each ship has its own unique charm."

"Oh, lassie." Scotty looked at her, his face awed. "You're the most understanding woman I know."

She knew her grin was audible, no need for him to see it. "Well, I'm honoured."

"No, I'm serious." He looked down at his hands, blushing a little. "Sometimes, it gets lonely down in engineering, you know. I don't meet many ladies, and certainly none as bonnie as you. And even if-"

Gathering her courage, she reached out to take his hand. "I know how you feel. Few people here get the Quarian way of thinking. Most of them think we're weird. It's nice to meet someone who understands."

Scotty swallowed and carefully rubbed his thumb across her palm in a shy caress. When she gasped, he looked at her anxiously. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay." She pressed his own hand in return. "Go on. That feels good."

"Can you even-" He broke off again. "Your suit… God, I'm making a right mess of this, aren't I?"

She clucked softly, trying to make him feel more at ease. "I can feel you all right. There are advanced sensory routines built into the material, everywhere. Not just my hands." _Ooops_. Maybe that had been too much information.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, but he kept up his slow stroking of her hand, and it was sweet, gentle, and undemanding. She leaned her head against his shoulder and, for a while, they just sat there, listening to the slow humming of the engines, feeling utterly at peace.

By the time they moved apart, it was too late at night to continue working, so he set off for the cabin he was sharing with his captain and Mr Spock. But, he was back in the Shuttle Bay the next morning, right after breakfast. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him.

"I told them we need at least three more days to work on the shuttle." When she clucked incredulously, a brief grin flashed across his features. "In my experience, it's always better to add a wee bit of time to your own estimate when dealing with starship captains. Makes for a pleasant surprise if you finish earlier. Besides…" He cleared his throat. "I thought it would be nice to spend more time together."

"It certainly would." She didn't bother to conceal the pleasure in her voice. "Any ideas on what your friends will be doing while we are busy?"

He shrugged. "They are looking for a way home. Mr Spock said they were going to see someone called the _Shadow Broker_."


	5. Liara

**Chapter 5 - Liara**

It had been a quiet day so far, with little news coming in from her various agents. Quite frankly, Liara was a bit bored. Shepard's arrival changed all that. As usual, Torin arrived without so much as a heads-up in advance, yet Liara was genuinely happy to see her old friend again.

Shepard had Garrus with her, and two strangers besides. As they came in through the airlock, she watched them on her security camera, eager to find out what this was about. They were two men, the first unremarkable, the second with odd pointy ears and a quiet, impassive face. She switched on the audio when she saw their lips move.

"So, who is this Shadow Broker guy?" The first man sounded a bit dismissive. "And why would he be able to help us?"

Shepard exchanged an amused glance with Garrus. "Wait and see. You may be in for a surprise or two."

When the door swished open, Liara walked toward the arrivals, a pleasant smile on her face. "Shepard. And Garrus. How lovely to see you! What brings you here?"

"Liara. Nice to see you, too. We have a situation here where I thought your special talents might be of use." Shepard nodded toward the strangers. "This is Captain Kirk, and his first officer, Commander Spock. Meet Liara T'Soni, also known as the Shadow Broker."

"Gentlemen." Liara held her breath as they approached.

Kirk was gaping at her unabashedly, his eyes lingering on her curves, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. One certainly didn't need telepathic powers to know what _he_ was thinking. But, the other one, the one called Spock, he was… unusual. She felt him brush against her mind for a moment, then withdraw politely, but even that brief contact made a shiver run down her spine. Liara had never felt such strong mental impulses from a person who wasn't asari. The more shallow part of her consciousness noted he was rather attractive, too.

When Shepard explained the situation, with Spock occasionally throwing in an observation that might be helpful, she listened with growing fascination. "A parallel dimension. How very exciting!"

"That's one way of putting it," Garrus remarked dryly.

"But, don't you understand?" She had a hard time dampening down her enthusiasm. "Just imagine how much we could learn from them! Their genetic make-up alone-"

"Now, let's not get carried away." Shepard raised a calming hand. "Our top priority should be to find a way for them to return home. If we can learn new and exciting stuff at the same time, I'm sure that's a bonus."

She shook her head, her expression determined. "What if we find something that helps us against the Reapers, Commander? Maybe, in their dimension, they have discovered a way of dealing with the threat."

Shepard nodded slowly. "Good point. So, what do you propose? A melding?"

"Yes." Liara caught Spock's gaze and held it. "It would be the fastest way to exchange information about our respective worlds. Besides, it should be easy. Mr Spock here appears to have telepathic abilities rivalling my own."

To her surprise, he seemed uncomfortable with the idea, though his expression remained stoically neutral. "Is this really necessary?"

Shepard shrugged. "It sounds worthwhile. Is it a problem?"

"Not as such." He looked down at his feet for a moment. "It's just not something I would consider under normal circumstances, a mind meld with a stranger. My people… For the Vulcan, this is a deeply personal experience."

"I understand, and I would be honoured. Whatever I learn would be kept secret, of course." Liara's heart beat faster with excitement. "Commander Shepard can vouch for the Shadow Broker's confidentiality."

Kirk had said little so far, though he was eyeing her blue skin and the crest on her head with no small amount of interest.

"Captain?" Spock glanced at him. "What do you say? Knowledge of our culture could very well change the direction in which this universe develops. I think this might be considered a violation of the Prime Directive, in spirit if not in letter."

Kirk shrugged. "Nobody knows the rules better than you, Spock, but sometimes exceptions have to be made. We need to find a way home. My gut feeling says 'do it'."

Spock sighed. "Your _gut feeling_ has gotten us in trouble more than once, Captain."

"And out of trouble on a few other occasions." Kirk grinned.

Spock closed his eyes for almost a minute, apparently deep in thought but, when he opened them again, all hesitation was gone. "All right. I will do it."

"Good. Why don't we get a little more comfortable?" Liara led him over to the low couch in the corner. She had fallen asleep here more than once while waiting for an agent to report in.

Spock sat down stiffly, extending a hand toward her. "Do we need physical contact?"

Liara bit her lip. She was a lot more nervous about this than she let on. "It will be easier."

Gently, he put the tips of both index fingers on her temples, and she mirrored the gesture, her forehead almost touching his. Taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes and let her own pupils grow wide. "Embrace eternity," she whispered.

It was extraordinary. When she opened the gates of her consciousness, he reciprocated immediately. The connection was instant and overwhelming. Of course, she didn't have a lot of experience with melding, but this was not at all how it had been with Shepard. There was none of the gentle probing, the careful focussing on Torin's mind to allow her access. This was different.

Within moments, the separation of their bodies became meaningless as they joined in a union so deep, so complete, that her heart sang with joy. Every memory, every thought, every feeling of his became her own, with no barriers left at all. Deeper and deeper she delved into his mind, unable to tear herself away from the excitement of discovering new experiences, new emotions, a new universe. It was unbearably sweet, this feeling of losing herself to him, to their shared being, to the glorious, radiant new creature created by their union.

When the first rush ebbed, he withdrew a bit, allowing her to regain her own sense of self, which was as necessary as it was painful. She began to sort through the onslaught, filtering his memories and thoughts to find something useful. She wasn't sure if he realized she was sampling his genetic heritage in the process, but she simply couldn't resist. Even at first glance, she had found several desirable traits she would love to see replicated in her future offspring.

It was with the deepest reluctance that she finally let go, allowing their minds to separate again, feeling him pull back at the same time; a soft brush against her thoughts, almost like a caress. When she became conscious of her surroundings again, the first thing she noticed were the expressions on Shepard's and Kirk's faces. They looked stunned, and a little embarrassed, as if they'd barged in on a private moment. Well, in a way, they had.

Spock was breathing heavily, his features contorted with emotion, but he quickly schooled them to return to their usual serene look. "Fascinating."

"Indeed." Liara was trembling all over. "I've never-"

"I… should have warned you. With my species, emotional transference is a common side-effect of melding." Spock shot a quick glance at Kirk. "It will likely linger for a while."

She nodded. "Yes. I might need some time to recover, Commander. Let me get some rest. As soon as I feel up to it, I'll feed the relevant data to Glyph and let him calculate possible outcomes. I'll contact you if we come up with anything useful."

"All right." Shepard looked a little worried. "Let me know if there's anything I can do for you, Liara. I guess I owe you another favour."

"Nonsense, Shepard." _Trust me, I got plenty out of this_. She took a deep breath. "Good bye, everyone. I wish you a safe return."

They all headed for the exit but, before he went through the door, Spock turned back and lifted his hand, two fingers spread in a curious gesture. "Live long and prosper, Ms T'Soni."


	6. Jack

**Chapter 6 - Jack**

"What the hell? Who are those fuckers, Shepard?" Jack had been in a foul mood from the moment she'd woken up, her stomach growling and her body aching from tossing and turning around all night.

The nightmares had come back with a vengeance lately, ever since they'd blown up Pragia. Too many memories, too much shit stirred up. It probably didn't help that she had lived off protein bars for two whole days and hadn't eaten at all last night. She hadn't felt like venturing out of her den for the longest time, but now her food stash was used up.

She snuck into the mess hall a little after nine, when most of the crew would already have eaten, in the hopes of avoiding company. She certainly hadn't expected to run into a fucking _party_! Shepard, Garrus, Tali, and three guys she'd never set eyes on before, were seated around one big table. One of the strangers, the guy in red, was making eyes at Tali like a lovesick puppy. The guy in blue seemed preoccupied and didn't even look up.

But, the third one, the one in the golden shirt, who'd been on his way to the counter to assemble his breakfast, he was staring at her as if she was meat. Jack recognized that look straight away. She'd seen it too often on men's faces to mistake it for anything else. He wanted to fuck her, because she was _exotic_. Probably had never had a woman with so many tattoos, or a bald one, or one who said _fuck_ a lot, or whatever tickled his interest. She knew the type. A collector, who would boast about his _conquests_.

And, sure enough, he grinned at her, tossing back his head, convinced she wouldn't be able to resist him. "Hey there, gorgeous. My name's Kirk. James T. Kirk. Say, if I guess the number of your tattoos, will you tell me your name?"

"No, but I might let you live." There, she'd done her best to keep it civil, hadn't she? Shepard was hiding a grin, so it seemed she wasn't the first he'd tried his cheesy lines on.

"Well, I've always enjoyed a risk." The fucker was still grinning. "Though, come to think of it, I might have a better chance once I've had a closer look."

He strutted towards her, and the look on Shepard's face quickly turned from amusement to alarm. "Damn it, Kirk, don't-"

But, it was too late. The minute he walked into her personal space, Jack let her biotics loose, lashing out with full force. "Fly, fucker!"

Man, but it felt good! She'd been itching for a fight for days, her skin crawling with static electricity; not that this qualified as an actual fight, more like tossing a rag doll across the room. The impact would have probably killed him if it hadn't been for a stroke of sheer dumb luck. The cheerleader picked that precise moment to walk in and threw up a barrier, cushioning his fall. But, he still ended up on the floor, clutching his arm and looking like the fucking dumbass he was.

For a moment, the room went eerily silent. Jack lowered her fist, glaring at Miranda. Though, as much as it pained her to admit it, she was actually impressed. Few biotics had the nerve or the power to counteract one of her attacks. But then, the Illusive Man had always had an eye for quality.

Suddenly, her throat felt far too tight. Her head was pounding and she knew she had to get out. Ignoring Kirk's sputtering protests and Shepard's quiet rebuke, she blindly grabbed some food and headed for the door.


	7. Torin (2)

**Chapter 7 - Torin**

"Commander. There's a new message at your private terminal."

Torin had been about to join Garrus on the couch, but when she heard the announcement, she put down her glass on the table and hurried back to her desk.

"Oh, come on, Shepard." Her favourite turian twisted around to give her a look of reproach. "Turn that thing off and get yourself over here."

"Just a moment." Torin quickly scanned the message. "It's from Liara! Seems she's found a way to send our guests home."

"Has she?" He tried to sound blasé, but she didn't miss the undertone of interest in his voice.

"Not quite sure if I can make sense of it." Torin frowned. "Lots of technical jargon there."

"Let me have a look." Yup, he was interested all right. Joining her at the desk, he leaned over her shoulder to read. His hand rested on her lower back, all three fingers digging into her flesh just hard enough to make her sigh with relief. "You want me to explain?"

"Yes, please. In terms a non-techie can understand, if possible." Torin rolled her eyes.

"Well, the gist of it would be…" Garrus hummed softly while he gathered his thoughts. "There's two sides to the problem. We have to fix their shuttle, so it's spaceworthy again. But, we also need to reopen the singularity far enough to allow them passage, using some kind of energy impulse. Liara described the process in detail. Tali will know what to do." His blunt talons traced small circles on her back, loosening the tight muscles. "Don't worry. They'll be safely on their way home in no time at all."

"Thank God." Torin suppressed a yawn. "As much fun as it was to have them around, we need to focus on our job again. The Collectors won't go away just by ignoring them."

"True. We can't hang around this planet forever." Garrus chuckled softly. "Let's talk to Tali first thing in the morning, right?"

Early the next morning, they headed for the shuttle bay together. Tali and Scott were bent over an open panel in the side wall of the little spacecraft, their heads close together, their voices soft and familiar. Torin felt a pang at the sight. Tali would doubtlessly miss her new friend.

"Any progress?" At her words, they both spun around.

"We're doing fine, Commander. Just a few minor repairs left." Tali sounded so wistful that Torin was momentarily tempted to hug her.

"Good." She forced herself to focus on the task at hand. "Can you take a look at this?" Quickly, she transferred Liara's message from her omni-tool to Tali's.

Tali took a moment to absorb the info, then she nodded slowly. "Yes, that makes sense. But, how would we create such a strong energy pulse?"

Scott, who had been peering over her shoulder, cleared his throat. "If I might make a suggestion…"

Torin nodded. "Go ahead."

"We could use some of the electro-plasma from the shuttle's impulse drive to power your guns, like this. With the improvements you've implemented, we should have plenty to spare." He pointed to a schematic on Tali's tool and then went on to explain the process.

Torin gave up on understanding him after a few words. When he'd finished, she raised her voice. "EDI. Can we do this?"

"Yes, Commander. I've run a few simulations and, according to my calculations, there's an 89.7 percent chance that it will work." Once again, Torin marvelled at the AI's processing speed. "The energy pulse will have to be fired with the utmost precision, though."

Garrus had listened with captive interest. "I'll do some calibrating. We'll be fine."

"Then, make it so." Torin gave a decisive nod.

Just then, the door swished open, and Kirk and Spock walked in. The Captain sported an impressive black eye and wore his arm in a sling, reminders of his run-in with Jack two days earlier.

"Ah, Captain." Torin turned to face them. "We are well on our way to finding a way back home for you."

"Good." Kirk looked grim as he listened to their explanations. "I'm not staying around longer than I have to."

Scott glanced over at Tali and sighed deeply, but he didn't say a word.

"We could stay for another day or two, Jim." Spock's face was impassive, as usual. "There's a few aspects of this reality I would like to study in more detail, and there's really no rush-"

"I don't care. Sort this out. Now." Without a glance backward, Kirk stomped out.

Scott winced at his departure. "Oooh, he's in a wee bit of a snit, isn't he?"

Spock's eyebrow rose in a perfect arch. "He's a man of deep feelings."

"Starship captains!" Scott snorted. "They're just like bairns. They want everything right now and they want it their way." He shook his head, and turned back to Tali. "Come on. Let's see what we can do."

Less than twenty-four hours later, Torin stood at the big panorama window in the starboard lounge and watched the shuttle take off.

"They're heading for the singularity, Commander." EDI monitored their progress. "Time for the energy pulse."

"I'm on it." Garrus' voice, over the intercom. He'd insisted on firing the gun himself.

"Energy pulse fired. Shuttle entering the singularity." Torin held her breath as EDI paused. "They're gone, Commander. If all calculations were correct, they have returned to their reality."

"Well done, everyone." Torin leaned against the glass pane, staring off into space.

Some small part of her envied the strangers, for being able to leave this universe behind. It was a tempting thought, exchanging it all for a world without Reapers, a new world with new challenges. If she'd been in their place, if she'd been the one to travel to a different universe, would she have come back?

"Shepard?" Behind her, the door opened to admit Garrus. "Everything okay?" His arms went around her, cradling her against his carapace.

"It's fine. I love you." She closed her eyes. _There's your answer_. Of course she'd have come back. There was no way she would ever desert her friends, her lover, and all the billions out there that needed her to be strong. "Come on. We should go."

* * *

_Big hugs and thanks to suilven for betaing this for me.  
_


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